


Phoenix

by unopenedgrapejuice



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Coffee Shops, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Married Couple, Old Age, Reincarnation, Years Later, alternating bodies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-13 03:42:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14741372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unopenedgrapejuice/pseuds/unopenedgrapejuice
Summary: noun (in classical mythology)  a unique bird that lived for five or six centuries in the Arabian desert, after this time burning itself on a funeral pyre and rising from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> woop woop i haven't posted in a long time and i didn't look this over at all  
> don't judge me too hard pls i know its trash

 

**PHOENIX**

 

 

CHAPTER 1

 

 

 

Kyungsoo was at home when he heard the news of his husband’s death.

The phone had rung, with it bringing the message that Jongin was hit by a drunk driver. An ambulance came, but he didn’t survive the ride back to the hospital. Kim Jongin was 27.

 

Like most days, Kyungsoo had hit the snooze button around 38 times that morning. This caused him to not have time to make his coffee before his yoga class started that Saturday morning - like most mornings. Before he left, he kissed the picture of him and Jongin together that sat on the bookshelf by the door.

With a sigh, Kyungsoo pushed open the car door to run into the coffee shop at the corner. Fortunately, the line wasn’t too long.

“I’ll have a small coffee to go please.” Kyungsoo dug into his wallet to retrieve a twenty.

“That’ll be $2.45.” The voice was deep. He looked up to see a rather attractive man, about in his mid twenties. Bleached blond hair, soft brown eyes, bronze skin with a small scar on his upper lip. Speaking honestly, the dude looked like a Greek god. The money was exchanged between them, and Kyungsoo tried not to notice how big and calloused the other’s hands were. “17.06 is your change. Would you like a receipt?”

Kyungsoo pocketed the change. “No, uh, I’m good.” He mentally cursed himself for stumbling with words. There was a moment of awkward silence, and he glanced up to see the Greek god looking at him expectantly. “Uh, what?”

The guy laughed. “I asked what was your name.” He saw the confusion in Kyungsoo’s eyes. “You know, for your order.” Oh.

“Kyungsoo.” He could hear the scribbling of Sharpie.

“Alright, Kyungsoo. Your coffee will be ready in a moment.” Just before Kyungsoo left, the man flashed him a warm grin. All of a sudden, Kyungsoo felt his heart tug at something, though he didn’t know what. It was a sensation like deja vu. Something was familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. This plagued him with his coffee in hand and when he went out the door.

 

“Hey you’re back.” The handsome barista leaned on the counter, his pen already in his hand. Kyungsoo approached him in his shorts and gym shirt, reaching in his back pocket for his money. He could have said that he was woke up extra late today and that he didn’t have a choice to come here again on his cool Saturday morning right before his yoga class, but that would be a lie. Kyungsoo smiled timidly. He knew exactly why he was back.

“One small coffee to go, please.” Once again they exchanged money and again Kyungsoo stared at the other’s sturdy hands. Was it just him or did his hands touch his own longer than necessary?

“Your coffee will be with you shortly.”

“Thanks.” Kyungsoo turned to leave.

“See you later?” His voice sounded hopeful, and Kyungsoo’s heart skipped a beat.

“Sure, yeah.”

 

Four more times this happened before Kyungsoo was shoved up against the walls of the back storage room, the other caging him in. The latter was just going to lean in for a kiss when something shiny caught his eye. He instantly pulled back.

“You’re, you’re married?” He choked. Kyungsoo was confused for a moment but quickly understood. Holding up his hand to show the ring on his finger, he tried to best to explain.

“Oh. I was, but.” He coughed. “I’m a widow.” The other’s shoulders relaxed, and he took Kyungsoo’s hands in his own.

“Oh God. I’m so sorry.”

“No! It’s okay. It’s really okay.” Kyungsoo could feel himself ramble on. “It happened three years ago, and I just like to wear it still because it reminds me of him. I think Jongin wouldn’t have wanted me to stay stuck on him. I mean I’m only 26. I still love him but I think he would have wanted me to. . . find other people, you know?” He twisted the gold band nervously. “Does that make sense?”

“I completely understand. It’s good that you do, still wear it.” The other almost looked proud and satisfied. Kyungsoo strantly felt like he passed a test of some sort. “So do you want to take a bre-” A loud knocking on the door stopped him.

“Hey! Who locked the storage room?” The two looked at each other.

“Do you want to maybe continue this later?” Kyungsoo nodded with wide eyes. As if the other read his mind, he said, “don’t worry I won’t get in trouble. You can take the back door out.” Opening the exit door open as quietly as possible, he ushered him out quickly.

“Thanks. See you later?” The other grinned, and the deja vu feeling came back.

“See you later.”

 

Next Saturday, Kyungsoo came at the regular time, expecting to see the barista greet him. Instead, different guy with glasses stood at the register. Maybe he was sick?

“Could I have a small coffee?”

“Is that all?” Kyungsoo nodded absentmindedly.

“Do you know what happened to the other dude who usually works here around this time?” The barista handed him his change.

“Oh, him. He quit.”

“What?!” ‘Well that was unexpected’, Kyungsoo thought.

“Yeah. Dude just said he quit and walked out. Rumor was that he was moving out of the country, sorry. Did you know him?” Things had escalated like a snowball rolling down a hill.

“Uh no. I didn’t.” The other nodded and snatched the receipt rising out of the register.

“Would you like your receipt?”

 

 

to be continued...


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uhhh

The bus came rambling around the corner when Kyungsoo finally looked up from his phone. He pocketed it in his jacket and waited for the doors to open in the dark bus station. With an exhausted sigh, the bus cranked the doors open. Kyungsoo stepped in, nodding to the bus driver with a wrinkled face. The bus was empty, save for a few people scattered around in the back. He opted for the very front, next to the old man.

“What are doing out this late, son?” The driver had a crusty voice, but he seemed friendly enough. Kyungsoo sat down in his seat the moment the bus started going again. 

“Oh, I was just working late hours at my job.” 

The man seemed appalled. “What? Why would you do that? Life is too short to work all the time. Go out and have fun!” The man reminded Kyungsoo of his Grandfather. 

“Yeah, I wish I could. It’s just that, I need the money.”

The old man laughed. It was more like a dry wheeze. “If I was your age, I’d be dancing at parties, hanging out with my buddies, kissing all the girls - or guys.” He added hastily. He looked at Kyungsoo, and he felt the other’s brown eyes stare deep into his soul. 

Suddenly Kyungsoo felt the serious silence. “Do you ever have any regrets in your life?” He blurted from the view of his hands. Kyungsoo looked out the window to see the bus nearing his apartment.

“This is my stop.” Kyungsoo grabbed his bag and stood up as the bus slowed. “Thank you, sir.” The doors opened and he began to walk down the steps. 

“Time.” Kyungsoo turned around. “I wish I had more time with my loved ones.” The driver gave a tired grin and saluted him. There it was again, that heart-tugging sensation. “Have a good night, son.”

 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well that was suuper short sorry bout that  
> i hope ya'll had (or are having) a good day<3


	3. chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hurricane katrina?  
> more like hurricane toriLLa!!

17 years later

  
  


It was the blasted pipe again. Once more it broke, sending all the water out to flood the basement with a high whine. Kyungsoo grumbled while going down the staircase to the mess. One more break and he’d sell the crappy house. He hit the last step and instantly saw that he could not fix it this time. The floor was submerged by about two inches, and Kyungsoo ran up the stairs to call a plumber. 

An hour later, there was a knock on the door. He opened it to reveal a young man dressed in a plumbing suit, tool box in hand. 

“Nice to meet you, sir. I’m Dave.” His voice was high and squeaky.

“Kyungsoo.” The older man ushered him in the door. 

“You said you had a broken pipe?”

“Yes, in the basement. Here.” He showed the plumber the open door leading down. Dave took a few steps down and whistled.

“Oh yup, she’s flooded.” 

Kyungsoo stood at the bottom of the stairs as he watched the plumber set down his tool box and pull out a red claw. He wasn’t sure if he should linger or stay here.

“Looks like you’ve tried to fix this a couple times.” His head of brown hair was over the pipe as he talked.

Kyungsoo snorted. “Yeah, I’ve tried to fix everything in this stupid house a couple times.” There was a sharp scratch and a clattering.

“How’d you come across it?”

“Well, I’d decided to move out of my second apartment and get a house. The owner didn’t tell me that the plumbing was over a hundred years old and spurted every month.” Kyungsoo twisted the ring on his finger. “I’m not even unpacked and I want to get out.”

Dave switched the claw for a bag of copper pipe. “Well I mean, you could always sell it.”

“Yeah.”

 

Kyungsoo went upstairs to avoid awkwardly standing there. He was through 46 minutes of his second episode when the plumber appeared from the basement door. Kyungsoo paused the screen and stood up, retrieving his wallet. He handed the money over to Dave.

“The pipe shouldn’t be a problem now, sir.” He stuffed the dollar into his tool box and grinned. This was the third time Kyungsoo had that weird familiarity. The plumber grabbed the door knob.

“Wait.” Dave turned around. 

Kyungsoo squinted. “Do I know you?” The other looked down at his toolbox in thought.

“I-I don’t think so. Sorry.” Kyungsoo deflated a bit.

“No, no that’s okay. I might just be going crazy.” The plumber laughed awkwardly. Soon he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another shitty chapter! hope u enjoyed <3  
> please comment - if someone's comments, i'll eat a spoonful of ketchup

**Author's Note:**

> comments are appreciated :3


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